Shit.

Ugh! I never agreed to this! What the hell am I supposed to do? Lie to my best friends?

“I always thought you had the hots for him but didn’t wanna say.” Krista grins, all proud like. “I used to plot with Trent, trying to hook you up, you guys are so alike it’s unreal, but he’d get mad and tell me not to push it.”

Nico’s chest flexes against my back and I hold my breath.

Krista smiles wider. “I bet he knew Nico had the hots for you but worried you didn’t feel it.” She gasps. “We can totally double date now!”

Oh, god. Shoot me.

And did she say we’re alike? Ha!

I try to sit up more, to remove my body from pressing against Nico’s overheated one, but he only tightens his hold, his lips hitting my ear.

“Stop it,” he whispers unexpectedly, and my abdomen constricts. “This’ll help us both, go with it. If you keep trying to pull away, I’ll whisper something so dirty in your ear it’ll have you squirming, and all your friends will witness me turning you on.”

What the what?

I try to fight the unexpected pull his nearness seems to have created, but apparently my eyes have a mind of their own, and I can’t stop myself from glancing over my shoulder, the move bringing my lips even with his.

His eyes are sharp and warning as his tongue sneaks out to flick my lips.

All I can think is thank god for padded bathing suit tops.

My traitorous nipples pebble without permission.

This guy...

The breathy “dang” that leaves Macy has my head snapping toward them.

“I just got hot,” Macy admits.

I gape at her, but she simply shrugs.

Krista gives her a high five. “Same. I’m going to find my man for a little ocean water rub down.”

I can’t help but laugh when she runs off to do exactly that, the rest of the girls laying their towels out and piling beside us.

Nico shifts behind me, and then suddenly his shirt is at our sides, the natural heat of his naked skin now pressed firmly against mine, nothing but the tiny strings of my top between us. While tension swims deep in my stomach, my body decides to settle into his.

“See how easy it is, D,” Nico murmurs for only me to hear. “No one will question us.”

I wish I was as sure as he seems to be, but hey, if he insists on sitting behind me, I might as well use him.

I lift my hips so I can shimmy my shorts down and kick them to the side, allowing my upper body weight to be fully held by his.

“If you don’t put those back on—”

“Quiet,” I cut him off, not bothering to keep my voice low as he did. “I need your body, not your words.”

Carley laughs beside me, slipping her glasses in place.

Nico’s chest vibrates with his groan, but after a second he leans back some, so I’m angled just right, the bright California sun beaming down on me.

Not a second after I’m settled in completely, accepting of my makeshift chair, Nico’s whispered words find my ear yet again.

“Use my body however you want, D. As far as everyone is concerned, it’s yours now.” He pauses a minute before continuing, “But remember, if you do, it’ll go both ways.”

Both ways. Meaning if I use him, he’ll use me, but how or in what ways?

Dirty ways?

An involuntary shiver runs through me and his chest shakes with silent laughter.

Asshole.

“Damn, this is gonna be fun.”

I’m not sure fun is the right word, but I’ll worry about that later. Right now, I’m enjoying the heat of the sun’s touch too much, almost as much as his warm body on mine.

I fall asleep.

Macy skips into my room and does a little twirl, her neon romper causing her chestnut skin to glow even more, dark curls bouncing all around. “How’s it look?” She smiles, posing with her hands on her hips.

I laugh, turning back to my mirror. “Hot. The color looks awesome on you,” I tell her as I finish applying the last of my mascara.

“Thank you, thank you. I’ll probably freeze once it gets darker, but it’s worth it.” She chuckles, plopping on the bed. “What are you wearing?”

“I think my white shorts.”

Macy bounces over to my bag while I let my hair out of the braids I put them in after my shower earlier. It’s not quite dry yet, but the waves are there like I wanted.

“I say this one.” She pulls out my plum maxi. It’s a stretchy cotton, ankle-length dress.

I shake my head. “I use that as a coverup for over my bathing suit.”

She frowns. “Why? It’s meant to be a dress.”

“Because it stretches around my ass and hips and shows every panty and bra line. At least when it’s a bathing suit, it makes sense.”

“Well, you haven’t worn it here, so it’s a dress this time.” She tosses it at me. “Wear it.”

I roll my eyes, tugging it off my head. “Fine. It’s long, so it’ll keep me warmer anyway.”

“Girl, you could wear your bikini to dinner and I bet that boy’d have you sweating without even touching you.”

“Shut up!” I hiss, looking to the adjoining door.

Her eyes widen, her mouth dropping open before a huge, devious grin takes over. “That’s his room?”

I nod, pull my t-shirt off over my head and slip my dress on, letting my shorts fall to my feet.

I move back to the mirror to put on my earrings.

Loud moaning comes from behind me and I whip around, panicking when Macy lets out another, and then another and another.

“Macy!” I shriek, darting toward her, but she grabs the chair and rolls it between us, darting the opposite way from me. She turns her head, so her mouth is closer to the door and lets out a breathy, “Oh, yes!” and my face flames.

“You little bitch,” I squeak.

Footsteps pound behind me, and I look right as Krista and Carley nervously peek around the corner, both of them laughing when all they find is us.

Macy laughs silently, crossing her legs as if trying not to piss herself, and brings her finger to her lips telling them to keep it down.

“I’m gonna kill you!” I force through my teeth.

She laughs harder.

I yank the chair from her and attempt to cover her mouth, but all it does is make her moans sound desperate and muffled by blankets or something.

“Oh my god.” I look to Carley and Krista. “A little help, assholes?” I hiss, but they can hardly catch their breaths at this point.

“Why are we even whispering?” Carley giggles.

“Wait for it!” Macy says quietly, tipping her head back for one last sex call. “Don’t stop!”

That’s it!

I tug my dress up to my hips and jump on her, my hands smashing over her mouth just as she whips open the adjoining door, revealing a half-naked, dripping wet, frowning, Nico Sykes.

I freeze, Macy laughs uncontrollably now, and the girls gasp, followed by loud laughter.

His glower flails me, but just as quick, roams the room before settling on my naked legs around her waist. A single, dark brow quirks.

“Something I should know?” he teases.

My glare zooms to Macy.

She smacks my ass, letting my legs drop so I’m standing in front of her now, Nico still in the open doorway.